


We Are Family

by aceschwarz222



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Avengers Family, Domestic Avengers, Fluff, Light Angst, Mentions of homophobia, Protective Steve Rogers, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-10-11 19:20:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10472259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aceschwarz222/pseuds/aceschwarz222
Summary: Y/N is kicked out of her parents house after they learn she's gay. She turns to her best friend's aunt, Peggy Carter, for a place to stay and winds up at 384 Friday Avenue. The house is crammed with colorful characters all trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. Avengers AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: mentions of homophobia, reader kicked out of her house by her parents

The sun shone brightly in the mid-afternoon sky as you wheeled your suitcase down the long street. Two story brownstones lined either side, and despite the beautiful Sunday weather, there really weren’t a whole lot of people out and about. You shifted the backpack slung over your shoulders and looked at the numbers on the houses, comparing them to the address on your phone. 

“380...382...,” you read aloud. “384.” You double checked the fading number on the mailbox with the text on your phone. Yup, they matched.

384 Friday Avenue looked almost like every other brownstone on the block. A low fence and gate separated it from the sidewalk. It had a small yard with no less than five bikes locked up among various bars and pipes. You chuckled under your breath thinking how easy it would be to just steal them. A green bike was locked around the rain gutter for Pete’s sake! You could have slid the chain off the end and the bike would be yours. Looking down the side of the house, you noticed a small path leading to what you assumed was the backyard. It certainly wasn’t what you were expecting, but it was home now, and you had no other option but to make it work.

You opened the gate and walked up to the front door. Inhaling deeply, you knocked loudly three times. Something loud crashed inside and muffled voices began to shout. Just as you were about to knock again, the door swung open.

A tall, blonde man in his twenties stood in front of you. He wore a polo shirt, a pair of khaki shorts and a kind smile.

“You must be Y/N,” he said warmly, holding out his hand. “I’m Steve Rogers. Peggy said you were coming today.” You cautiously shook his hand and tried to mimic his smile. He stood to the side and invited you in.

The narrow hallway opened up to a decent-sized living room. An old purple couch took up nearly half the space and a few bean bag chairs were scattered around the room. A TV stood on top of what appeared to be a long black table. Adjacent to the open living room was a dining room. At least, you thought it was a dining room. The table was piled high with various electronics and other pieces of equipment. A man with spiky brown hair kneeled on the ground gathering scattered materials. That must have been the source of the crash.

“So, you know Peggy’s niece?” Steve asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

You nodded. “Sharon and I are friends from high school. We used to visit Peggy here in the city during our summer breaks. She always showed us the different houses she owned. I need a place to stay so…” you trailed off.

“Sharon’s heading off to college now, right?”

“Yeah, she just moved into her dorm at MIT,” you replied, a hint of pride in your voice. “She really wants to be an engineer. Maybe even work for the government.”

“Nice!” Steve exclaimed. He paused and rubbed the back of neck nervously. “Listen, we all love Peggy, and it’ll be nice to have a new person in the house. But we’re already packed in here tight as it is, so you’ll be staying in the old sunroom. I hope that’s okay.”

Steve opened the door in the hallway by the front. You hadn’t even noticed it when you came in earlier. You peeked inside the tiniest room you had ever seen. If you had extended both arms out on either side of you, they would have almost reached each side of the room. A small twin bed took up most of the floor space, and a dresser was pushed against the back wall. It looked like there was just enough room to open the drawers without hitting anything. Other than that, there was no closet space. The walls were bare, and the windows were accented with pale blue curtains. At least you would be able to pull them down for some privacy. There were no sheets, blankets or pillows on the bed, and you swallowed thickly when you realized you would need to buy them. Your supply of money was limited as it is, and you didn’t want to waste it.

Steve was looking at you, and you realized he had been trying to ask you a question. “I’m sorry,” you apologized. “What did you say?”

“I asked if you needed help moving in your stuff,” he replied.

Your face flushed red as you shook your head. Motioning to your suitcase and backpack, you said, “This is all I’ve got.”

“That’s it?” Steve replied incredulously. “Peggy said you were moving out of your house. I just expected you to have more stuff.”

That was all it took for you to snap. “Well, when your parents kick you out after learning you’re gay, you don’t stick around to take all your furniture with you.” Your eyes betrayed you as tears began to fall. You took a wavering breath and tried to calm down.

“Shit,” Steve whispered, looking horrified. “I’m sorry, I had no idea.” He took the suitcase out of your grasp and pulled the backpack off your shoulders. You used your now free hand to wipe your face.

“No, I’m sorry,” you replied shakily. “I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just been a long day, and I’m on the verge of freaking out.” Words kept tumbling out of you as you gave Steve your confession. “I don’t have a job, my savings will pay for maybe three month’s rent if I’m lucky, and the only person I know in New York is Peggy. I was supposed to go to college in two weeks in California. I just...this isn’t how it was supposed to happen. And I’m really scared.”

Steve gently put your meager belongings on the ground. “Can I give you a hug?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“Can I give you a hug?” he repeated. He held open his arms and you gently stepped into them. The weight of the last two days finally released and you cried freely.

“I swear you are completely safe here, okay?” His grip on you tightened. “No one is going to hurt you.”

Another loud crash sounded in the living room followed by a “DAMMIT!” from the spiky-haired guy. “Well, no will hurt you on purpose anyway,” Steve laughed.

You chuckled softly and let go. “Thanks Steve.”

Steve put your stuff on the bed in your room and shut the door. “Come, on, let me introduce you to everyone.”


	2. The Tour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve gives Y/N a tour of the house and she gets to meet the other residents.

The brownstone and its residents reminded you of those little clown cars you saw on TV as a kid. Just when you thought no one else could fit in this tiny house, someone inevitably popped out. 

“So that’s Tony,” Steve said, pointing to the guy at the dining room table. “He works at a local electronics shop. Sorry for the mess. They tend to let him take home the stuff they deem unsalvageable.” Tony waved, but other than that, he barely acknowledged you as he continued to fiddle with a circuit board on the table. Smoke curled out of a small welding rod that he was holding.

Steve guided you into the kitchen and whispered, “Don’t let him fool you, Tony’s insanely talented. College isn’t his thing, but he could have easily graduated with an engineering degree from the best school in the country.”

You nodded and admired your new surroundings. The kitchen had bright yellow walls and old-fashioned tile on the floor. Sunlight seeped through at least five different windows, giving it a neat glow. A large table and wraparound bench stood to your left, and it looked like it could seat an entire army of people. A stove, microwave and dishwasher dotted the counter, and a large fridge/freezer combo stood near another door.

“So here’s the kitchen,” Steve said unnecessarily. “We all try and go grocery shopping together, and we split the bill for common stuff. If you want anything special though, that’s all on you. Label anything you don’t want to get eaten.”

He opened the door and began walking down a set of wooden stairs. “Here’s the basement,” he continued. “Bruce and Thor live down here.”

“Thor?” you questioned as you walked carefully down the steps.

“Yeah, his real name is Theodore or something like that, but it’s just Thor to us.”

The basement was carpeted and there was a slight chill in the air. Bright, white lights hummed softly overhead, and you could hear someone grunting in the distance. A man who could pass as a literal god sat on a workout bench doing bicep curls. He was completely shirtless and you admired the stacks of muscles that made up his core. The weights he was lifting were almost as big as your head. In fact, you were pretty sure his muscles were as big as your head too. His blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and sweat dripped down his face. He finished his set, let the weights fall with a loud THUD, and walked over to greet you.

“Thor, this is Y/N, our new roommate,” Steve said.

Thor raised his eyebrows admiringly and grasped your hand. Before Steve could stop him, he gently kissed your knuckles.

“What a pleasure to meet a lady as fair as you,” he said suavely.

Steve groaned. “Thor, don’t even start.”

You merely laughed. “Sorry, Thor, you’re not my type.”

Something shifted next to you and you shrieked. You hadn’t even noticed the couch on your way down the stairs. A pile of blankets moved again, and Thor yanked them off. A scrawny man with messy brown curls blinked up at you.

“Bruce! Do not be rude!” Thor exclaimed. “Come and greet Y/N.”

Bruce stumbled awkwardly off the couch and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Y/N,” he said, half-yawning. “Sorry, it was a long night at the lab.” You shook his hand, and Steve picked up the conversation.

“Bruce is getting his doctorate in nuclear physics, so he’s rarely here. Hence, the couch and no bed.”

Bruce nodded his agreement. “Plus, I’m the only one who can deal with Thor’s ridiculous workout noises.”

Thor looked offended. “As a personal trainer, I need to make sure I am in top physical condition!”

“Whatever man,” Bruce replied, diving back under his blankets. “Wake me up for dinner.”

Steve led you back upstairs as you waved goodbye to Thor and the pile of blankets that was now Bruce.

You made your way back through the kitchen and living room and climbed the stairs up to the second floor. A narrow hallway extended from one end of the house to the other with four doors lining the left side.

“Everyone else lives up here. That’s one of the main bathrooms,” Steve said, pointing to the door in the middle. “There’s another one downstairs that you’ll share with Bruce and Nat. Thor usually uses the one at his gym.”

He walked to the door at the far right of the hall and knocked. “Come in!” a voice called. He opened the door and you both walked inside.

One side of the room was a complete mess. Clothing, books, paper plates, and empty water bottles littered every available surface. A few rock band posters hung crookedly on the walls. A young woman with shining red hair sat at a desk chair on the more immaculate side. Her space was neatly organized, and everything seemed to be in perfect order. It was a stark contrast to her roommate’s area.

“Y/N! It’s nice to finally meet you! I know so much about you!” she exclaimed, hopping off the chair. “I’m Natasha, but you can call me Nat.” Her smile was fiery, and you couldn’t help but grin back.

“Where’s Clint?” Steve asked. You assumed Clint was responsible for the mess on the other side of the room.

“Picking up his last paycheck from Fury,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

Steve let out an exasperated sigh. “He lost another job? That’s like the third one this month!”

“Fourth, actually,” Nat corrected. “He’s not going to be able to make rent if it keeps it up.” She turned to look at you. “Clint is adorable, but he’s basically a mess. Can’t keep a job, can’t keep a girlfriend, and definitely can’t keep a clean room.” You giggled at her honesty.

“Hey Nat, do you still have extra blankets and sheets up here?” Steve asked, changing the subject. Nat sauntered over to her closet and pulled the door open.

“Let’s see...,” she said. “Ah! Here we go!” She grabbed a purple sheet and blue blanket and handed them to you. “Sorry they don’t match.”

“It’s totally fine, thank you so much,” you rambled gratefully. “I’ll give them back once I get my own.”

“Nah, keep them as long as you’d like. Money’s tight, no sense in wasting it on something I already have, right?” The look in her eyes was comforting and unsettling at the same time. It was almost like she knew exactly why you were here. Had she overheard your conversation with Steve? You smiled nervously, and thankfully, Steve moved you onto the next room, bidding Nat goodbye.

“What does she do?” you whispered after he had closed the door.

Steve shrugged his shoulders. “None of us really know. Nat’s a bit of a mystery. She always has rent and grocery money though, so we don’t ask a lot of questions.”

The next door was already slightly opened, and Steve let himself in. “You already met Tony, and he shares a room with Sam.”

You could immediately tell which side of the room was Tony’s. It had more circuits and computer parts on the shelves above his bed.

Sam was a dark, African American man with arm muscles similar to Thor’s. He lounged on his bed reading a book called  _ The Poisonwood Bible. _ Once he saw you and Steve, he marked his page and stood up.

“How’s it going?” he said in a smooth voice. “Name’s Sam.”

“Y/N,” you replied, shaking his outstretched hand.

“Sam works for the gardening store not far from here. He’ll try and recruit you to help plant stuff in the backyard. Say no,” Steve warned.

“Hey man, let the lady decide on her own!” Sam exclaimed. “See you later, Y/N!” he called. He shook his head good naturedly as Steve led you out.

“And last but not least, my room.” He opened the last door and walked inside. The room was crammed with books of every size and genre. The windowsill, desks, even the floor held copious amounts of books. It was like a mini library was hidden in the brownstone.

“Holy cow,” you breathed, taking it all in. It took you an embarrassing amount of time to notice there was another man in the room. He wore a tshirt and his left arm was covered in a tattoo sleeve. It almost looked like metal panels covered his arm. You could just barely see the point of a red star near his upper bicep. A bit of stubble accented his sharp jawline, and his eyes were a soft brown.

“Sorry for the mess,” the man said, rising from his desk chair. “I’m Bucky.” You noticed two hardcover books laying on the chair as he sat back down.

“Hi,” you replied, still staring at the room. “I’m sorry, I just don’t think I’ve ever seen so many books in one room before.”

“Yeah, that’s my fault,” Bucky replied sheepishly. “I work at a bookstore, and the owner gives me an epic discount. I’m a real bibliophile.”

“Hey speaking of the bookstore,” Steve said, “is the cafe next door still hiring?”

Bucky nodded. “Yeah, they are. Jarvis is desperate. They even pulled me in during the lunch rush to make coffee.” He grimaced. “It did not go well.”

“Do you think they’d hire me?” you asked. Working at a cafe wasn’t exactly what you had in mind for your life after high school, but you were desperate for money.

“They’re ready to hire anyone with a pulse at this point,” Bucky scoffed. “You’ll get the job, no worries. I’ll take you there tomorrow to meet Jarvis, the owner. Does she know about the Sunday rule?” he asked Steve.

“What Sunday rule?” you asked curiously.

“I know this whole place probably seems overwhelming-” Steve began,

“That’s an understatement,” Bucky muttered, raking his hands through his hair.

“But we’re like a huge family. We’re all so busy you know? So everyone tries not to work on Sundays. It’s kind of our day to hang out together.”

You swallowed at the thought of this new group of people being your family. After everything that happened with your parents, you so desperately wanted that.

“That actually sounds really awesome,” you replied softly.

Bucky returned your smile. “Also, I’m sorry about your parents. That really sucks.”

Your smile turned to a look of shock and you turned to Steve. He held up his hands in defense, just as confused as you were.

“How did you-?” you asked.

“Nat,” Bucky replied, as if the answer was obvious.

“Dammit, Nat,” Steve grumbled. “Sorry, Y/N, everyone probably knows by now. Nat can extract secrets from the best of them, but she sure as hell can’t keep one. How the heck did she find out Y/N’s gay?” he asked Bucky.

“Whoa, gay?” Bucky replied, shocked. “Stevie, Nat just said Y/N’s parents kicked her out.”

Realizing he had just outed you to a complete stranger, Steve’s face went ashen. “Y/N I am so sorry. I didn’t mean...”

“Steve, it’s okay,” you said. “It would have come out eventually. Besides, you said I was safe here, right?” He and Bucky both nodded. “Then we’re good. Just let me tell the others at my own pace, okay?” you asked gently.

Before Steve could answer, the front door burst open downstairs. A male voice reverberated through the house:

“Guys! I’ve got pizza!”


	3. Let's Eat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint shows up with pizza, and then everyone makes the trek to the grocery store.

Before you could even process what happened, the brownstone exploded in a bustle of activity. Sam, Nat, Bucky, and Steve raced downstairs, and you followed closely behind. You quickly tossed the sheet and blanket on your bed and walked back out to the living room. 

A blonde man stood in the center of the room holding three boxes of pizza. His hair was disheveled, and his shirt was peppered with small holes. A white band aide covered a small cut above his left eyebrow. There was no doubt in your mind that this mess of a man was Clint.  

Thor (still shirtless) and Bruce appeared from their hole in the basement, and Tony walked out of the kitchen carrying paper plates and a stack of napkins. Clint carefully pushed aside some of the electronics on Tony’s workspace and placed the pizza on the table. The salty smell of cheese and rich tomato sauce wafted through the air and your stomach grumbled. You hadn’t eaten since early this morning at the train station, and you realized you were starving.

“I thought Fury fired you,” Steve said accusingly.

“Come on, Mr. Responsible, Fury can’t get rid of me that easily,” Clint scoffed. “I promised I would take some Saturday night shifts and work delivery for the next two months. He even let me take home these no-show pizzas, so really, you should be thanking me. Do we even have any food in this house?”

Steve shook his head. “We’ve gotta go shopping tonight.”

“See?” Clint replied. His attention turned to you. “And who is this?” he asked.

“That’s Y/N,” Nat replied, taking a piece of pepperoni out of the box. “Be nice, she just moved in.” She handed you a plate and gestured to the boxes. “Plain or pepperoni?” she asked.

“Plain’s fine,” you said. Nat picked the biggest piece she could find and put it on your plate.

Instead of migrating to the kitchen table, everyone found a place to sit in the living room. With all nine of you there it was quite crowded, but you didn’t mind. It felt homey. As you ate, questions bombarded you from all sides.

“How old are you?” Sam asked.

“Eighteen.”

“Where are you from?” Thor asked, his mouth full of pizza. Steve slapped his arm, and you giggled.

“Maryland.”

“Land of the crabs!” Clint declared. “I like it!” He took a voracious bite of his cheese pizza.

“What do you want to do when you’re older?” Bucky inquired.

“I want to open a music school.”

“You play?” Steve asked.

You nodded. “Piano and guitar are my favorite, but drums are cool too.”

“What brings you to the city that never sleeps?” Bruce asked.

You swallowed nervously. “Um, my living situation wasn’t working out,” you finally responded. “It’s a long story, but I don’t want to get into it right now.” Steve smiled at you encouragingly, and everyone else stared at their plates, not sure how to respond.

“Star Trek or Star Wars?” Tony finally asked, breaking the almost-awkward silence.

“Dude, Star Wars, for sure,” you replied.

Tony nodded his head in satisfaction. “I like her,” he said.

Everyone quickly finished up eating and got ready to go to the grocery store. While you waited for everyone, you decided to unpack your clothes. You had managed to stuff most of your clothing from back home in your suitcase, and it all fit in the dresser by your bed. You put your shampoo and other toiletries on top of the dresser in a neat line.

Unzipping your backpack, you pulled out your laptop, charger, phone charger, wallet, and other miscellaneous items you had grabbed before leaving. Your laptop went next to your toiletries and you plugged your phone charger into the outlet under the windowsill. Resisting the urge to cry at how little you actually had, you kept yourself busy by making the bed. You carefully tucked the sheets under the mattress and placed the blanket on top. You sat on the bed and dug around the bottom of your backpack for your money.

You had been able to withdraw almost $1,000 before your parents had called the bank and locked you out of the account. You sighed, knowing there was a lot more in your savings. You hid the money in the bottom drawer of your dresser under a stack of clothes and climbed back on your bed.

“It’s all about perspective, right?” you said aloud. “You’ve got a place to sleep, a possible job, and you’re safe.” You closed your eyes and took a few deep breaths.

A gentle knock pulled you back to reality, and you saw Sam standing in your doorway holding a pillow.

“Here, Nat said you might need this,” he offered. You gratefully took the pillow and looked at your bed, debating which end to put it on. After careful consideration, you put it on the end closest to the door. Smiling in satisfaction, you turned back to Sam.

“Thank you,” you said, shyly.

“Anytime. You ready to go?”

You nodded and walked outside with Sam. Everyone else was already waiting, but something seemed off…

“Thor!” Clint yelled. “Put on a damn shirt!”

Thor stared at his bare torso, as if he had forgotten he was half-naked. “Fine, if I must,” he grumbled, walking back inside.

“Coupons!” Tony gasped suddenly, dashing back inside after Thor.

“Oh my gosh, we’re a mess,” Bucky declared, putting his head in his hands.

“But you love it!” Nat sang, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Bucky pretended to swat her away but broke out in laughter instead.

Thor came back outside finally wearing a shirt and Tony followed with a stack of coupons. The grocery store was only two blocks away, and the cool air of the early evening made it a pleasant walk. The conversation flowed easily, and the sadness you felt earlier had almost completely disappeared.

When you finally reached the grocery store, everyone grabbed a basket and wandered through the different aisles. You paired up with Bucky and Nat.

“What do we need to get?” you asked as you walked down the cereal aisle.

“Dunno,” Bucky shrugged. “Nat and I usually get cereal and snacky foods.”

“Everyone just kind of gets whatever,” Nat chimed in. “It works out for the most part.”

“Except that one time when Clint AND Bruce AND Tony all got those huge ramen packs when didn’t all go to the store together,” Bucky interjected. He shuddered. “We ate ramen for weeks. It was awful.”

Nat nodded sympathetically as she grabbed a box of Cookie Crisp. “What kind of cereal do you eat, Y/N?” she asked. You tentatively took a box of Fruit Loops off the shelf and held it up.

Bucky grinned and added the box to his basket. “I love these! Good choice.” He grabbed two boxes of Coco Puffs while Nat chose Cheerios, Chex, and the chocolate Special K.

“You can’t live without snack foods,” Nat declared, walking over to the next aisle. You filled your basket with granola mix and other healthy snack bars. Bucky, on the other hand, grabbed a few boxes of generic cookies and chips.

About twenty minutes later, you all gathered in front of the cash registers with your food. Bucky and Nat were right, there were hardly any repeats. Fruits, veggies, meat, milk, bread, frozen pizzas and more filled everyone’s baskets. You couldn’t keep track of how Steve and Bruce were splitting everything up on the conveyor belt because they were moving so rapidly. Tony stood by and handed coupons to those that needed it, and somehow, the totals were all equaling about the same.

“Whoa,” you breathed, admiring the sight before you.

“When you’ve been doing this for as long as we have, it gets pretty easy,” Nat replied.

“How long have you all lived together?”

Nat paused and did some mental calculations. “Well, I’m 24 and we all moved in together when I turned 19. So 5ish years?”

“Wow, that’s a long time to share a room with someone. And a house with a bunch of guys for that matter.”

“Maybe,” Nat admitted. “But I wouldn’t change anything about it.” You nodded and focused your attention back to the conveyor belt.

“Okay, I think that about covers it,” Steve declared, putting the last of the items on the belt.

“Wait, Steve, where’s my pile?” you asked.

Steve shook his head. “On me tonight.” You opened your mouth to protest, but his playful glare stopped you. “You can pay me back another time, kid,” he said. You silently vowed to make good on this promise once you got a real paycheck.

Everyone grabbed a few bags and began the trek back to the brownstone. By the time you got to your new home, you were exhausted after the events of the day. With everyone’s help, the food was unpacked quickly, and they all made their way to their respective bedrooms.

“Y/N, my shift starts at 9am tomorrow,” Bucky said as he climbed the stairs. “I can introduce you to the owner of the coffee shop, and you should be able to get a job no problem.”

“Thanks Bucky,” you replied gratefully. He smiled and waved goodnight before disappearing up to the second floor.

You took a fast shower in your new bathroom and settled back under your covers. Sleep quickly consumed you, and you didn’t even have time to miss your old bed. 


	4. Coming Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y/N has a rough time after work, and the residents of the brownstone have her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mentions of homophobia

The past two weeks had gone by in a blur. As Bucky predicted, the owner of the cafe was desperate for help, and he hired you on the spot the day after you moved into the brownstone. Thankfully, you had worked at a Starbucks for a summer between sophomore and junior year of high school, so you had an upper hand when it came to making drinks. You had been working almost every day (except Sunday of course), sometimes even picking up two shifts in one day. The money was decent, and you always got to take any leftover sandwiches when you closed the cafe. 

“Heading out, Y/N?” your boss asked as you pulled off your apron. Jarvis seemed entirely too dapper to own a cafe, but he really seemed to enjoy his work. His British accent always amused you, and you liked to give him a hard time over how he pronounced certain words. He was incredibly kind, which wasn’t surprising since he let you have Sundays off. You knew better than to underestimate him though. Wanda, one of your co-workers, had told you about a time he had single-handedly beat up a couple of drunk guys for making a pass at her and refusing to leave.

You hung your apron on one of the hooks behind the counter. “Yeah, I’m leaving,” you replied. “Unless you need me to stay?”

“You’re fine to go. You’ve been here all day,” Jarvis said.

Secretly, you were relieved. You had worked three doubles in five days days, and it was starting to take a toll on you. Thankfully, tomorrow was Sunday, so you could catch up on some sleep.

Jarvis picked up on your tired expression right away. “I know these hours haven’t been easy,” he said, kindly. “You’re one of my best workers, and I appreciate you coming in so much. Once my college kids come back for the new school year, you can cut back a bit.”

College. That one word stopped you dead in your tracks. You were supposed to be in California in three days getting ready to move in your dorm. Swallowing, you mustered a small smile. Apparently, you hadn’t completely gotten over the fact that you weren’t going to anywhere this fall.

“Thanks Jarvis. Night.” You waved goodbye and made the short trip next door to the bookstore where Bucky worked.

The bell chimed as you opened the door, and you saw Bucky standing behind the counter ringing up a customer. The bookstore reminded you a bit of his room at home, with books covering every conceivable surface. The store was a converted house, and shelves lined the walls from the floor to the ceiling. Plush chairs and couches were placed strategically throughout the store for readers who wanted to stay and enjoy the atmosphere. Even though your schedule didn’t always match Bucky’s, you didn’t mind waiting for him to finish up his shifts. He had become like a big brother to you, and you enjoyed his company.

You sat down on a big green chair and let your legs dangle over the side. Resting your head against the back cushion, you sighed. Working so many hours had not only kept your body busy, but also your mind. You had barely had time to stop and think about your current situation, but Jarvis’ innocent mention of college brought reality crashing back over you. It was really a miracle you had lasted this long before breaking. You blinked back tears as Bucky walked over.

“Hey, how was work?” he asked.

“Fine,” you replied, shrugging your shoulders. He saw right through your attempt to appear nonchalant.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just tired.” Your body betrayed you, and your vision became blurry as your eyes swam with tears. The bell above the door chimed, signalling the entrance of another customer. You quickly wiped at your face, trying to erase any evidence of you crying.

Bucky reached out his hand. “Come on.” You reluctantly grasped his hand, and he pulled you over behind the counter. You sat down on the floor out of sight from customers, and your arms wrapped you in a tight ball. Your shoulders shook as you cried into your knees.

Bucky stared down at you, completely out of his element. With no other ideas, he pulled his phone out and opened the group text.

**_Bucky:_ ** _ SOS @ bookstore. Something’s wrong with Y/N. _

Almost immediately, his phone buzzed with responses.

**_Steve:_ ** _ What’s wrong? _

**_Nat:_ ** _ Is she hurt? _

**_Sam:_ ** _ What happened? _

**_Tony:_ ** _ What did you do? _

**_Bucky:_ ** _ Idk, but she’s behind my counter crying. What should I do? _

**_Bucky:_ ** _ Geez, Tony, really? _

**_Nat:_ ** _ Omw. Try not to make it worse _

**_Steve:_ ** _ Be there in 10. _

**_Clint:_ ** _ I’m delivering a pizza a couple miles away from you. I’ll stop by. _

**_Bucky:_ ** _ I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING NAT! _

**_Steve:_ ** _ Clint, are you texting and driving? Don’t you know how dangerous that is? _

**_Bruce:_ ** _ Sorry, I’m at the lab. _

**_Clint:_ ** _ Shut it. I’m at a damn red light. _

**_Sam:_ ** _ You’re always at the lab Bruce! Can’t you spare five minutes? _

**_Sam:_ ** _ Heading over now btw. Tony, need a ride? _

**_Bruce:_ ** _ This won’t take five minutes! _

**_Tony:_ ** _ Yeah, boss is letting me leave now. _

**_Clint:_ ** _ Bruce, I’m coming to the lab first. Get your ass outside or I’m dragging you out. _

**_Steve:_ ** _ Clint! _

**_Clint:_ ** _ Steve! _

**_Bruce:_ ** _ Fine, but you need to bring me back after. _

**_Tony:_ ** _ Where’s Thor? _

**_Sam:_ ** _ Gym. _

**_Nat:_ ** _ Gym _

**_Clint:_ ** _ Gym prob _

**_Bucky:_ ** _ I put the closed sign up but the door’s unlocked. Just come in. _

**_Clint:_ ** _ Got it boss. _

**_Steve:_ ** _ CLINT STOP TEXTING AND DRIVING _

You weren’t really sure how long you sat behind the counter crying, but it felt good to finally get it all out. Bucky had rung out the last customer and disappeared out in the store for a few minutes. When he came back, he sat down across from you. He remained silent, but his presence was still comforting. 

The bell chimed and you expected him to get back up, but he didn’t. Instead, another figure sat down next to you and gently intertwined your fingers with theirs. You looked up and saw Nat. She gave you a comforting smile, and squeezed your hand encouragingly. You couldn’t help but cry even harder.

The bell rang again, and this time, Steve, Tony, and Sam walked in and joined you behind the counter. Steve sat on your other side and wrapped his arm around your shoulders. You welcomed his embrace but continued to keep your head down.

The bell rang a third time. A frantic Clint rushed in, followed by a grumbling Bruce.

“What am I supposed to do?” Bruce hissed as they approached the counter. “I’m not good at this stuff!”

Clint shoved his shoulder and put a finger to his lips. “Just shut up and be there for her you idiot!”

He and Bruce walked over Bucky’s legs to the opposite end of the space. The area behind the cash register was small to begin with, and it was quite cramped with all eight of you behind it. But everyone stayed and waited.

After you had finally cried everything out of your system, you slowly raised your head. Clint handed you a small pile of napkins to blow your nose, and they smelled faintly of pizza. Sam passed you the small trash can by his side, and you tossed the napkins inside.

You cleared your throat. “I’m gay,” you finally said. “My parents kicked me out because I’m gay. That’s why I moved in with you guys.”

With the exception of Bucky of Steve, everyone’s expressions went from shock, to anger, to sadness.

“I’m so sorry,” Sam replied, softly.

Nat squeezed your hand again, and this time, you squeezed back.

“I thought they’d be okay with it, you know?” you continued. “But they gave me a night to pack my stuff and leave.” You let out a shuddering breath. “I was supposed to go to California for college in a few days, but that’s obviously not going to happen. Not until I save money or figure something else out. I just wasn’t expecting to have to grow up so fast, I guess.” Shrugging your shoulders you concluded, “That’s it. That’s my story.”

Clint let out a low whistle. “That sucks, kid.”

“Clint!” Steve admonished. “Seriously?”

“What? It does!”

“Even I know that’s insensitive, man,” Bruce chimed in.

As everyone continued to berate Clint, you took a second to look around. You were all stuffed behind the cashier counter of a bookstore at 7 o’clock at night. You had only known these people for two weeks, and yet here they were. Steve had been right, this was a family, and you were now part of it. It might be a bit dysfunctional, but it was a hell of a better family than the one you left behind in Maryland.

You cleared your throat, causing them to pause. “Thank you,” you said gratefully.

“Anytime,” Tony replied. The others murmured their agreement.

“You’re safe with us,” Nat added. “We won’t judge you.”

“Oh, no, we’ll judge you,” Sam interjected. “For example, I judge you for that ridiculous music you listen to on the radio.” His eyes twinkled as he grinned. “I mean, country music? Seriously?” he asked incredulously. “But I’m not gonna judge you for being gay.”

Steve shook his head at Sam and smiled at you. Returning his smile, you stood up and pulled him with you. Everyone followed suit, enjoying their freedom from the confined space.

“Anyone else hungry?” Clint asked. “Fury won’t miss me for another twenty minutes.”

“Yes!” you all exclaimed in unison.

Just as you were about to figure out where to go for food, the bell chimed again. A shirtless Thor sprinted inside, his chest heaving and covered with a thin sheen of sweat. The group stared at him in disbelief, and he stared back.

“What did I miss?”


	5. Labor Day Weekend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parties are well celebrated at the brownstone, and Labor Day is no exception. Clint adds some extra fun into the mix by bringing a surprise.

“Shouldn’t we try and help them?” you asked Nat as you sat on the back steps. 

She shook her head, a playful smile gracing her face. “No way. Watching is way more fun.”

You eyed Thor, Sam, and Clint warily as they tried to complete their most recent goal.

 

_ Clint had strolled into the house earlier with a huge grin on his face. “You’ll never guess what I got!” he had exclaimed. _

_ You had all followed him to the front yard and found a huge white and blue lump sitting on your lawn. _

_ “Well? What do you think?” _

_ “What the heck is it?” Bruce had asked, poking the lump with his foot. _

_ “It’s a pool, obviously! Fury got a new one and gave me this one. There’s gonna be swimming tonight!” _

 

Clint had seemed so excited, and now, as he was arguing with his other three roommates, he just seemed pissed.

“Pivot, Thor! PIVOT!” Clint shouted as he tried to maneuver the pool around the gate leading into the backyard.

“And how am I supposed to do that?!” Thor huffed. “The gate is too narrow to pivot.”

You had to admit, the gate was in a bit of an awkward spot. You weren’t all that surprised they were having trouble. It was narrow but high, and the pool was too bulky to just hoist over without possibly ripping it on the fence posts.

“Drop it,” Sam finally grunted. They let the pool fall to the ground.

You looked at the pool and the gate and got an idea. “Guys, what if you-”

Nat put her hand over your mouth. “She’s kidding! Keep up the good work boys!” She winked at you and you groaned into your hands. This was building up to be a disaster.

The guys stared at you for two seconds before resuming their argument.

“What if we lift-?”

“We already established it was too heavy.”

“Come on, man, what good are those muscles if you can’t even lift a pool!”

“Leave Thor’s muscles out of this. They’re very sensitive.”

“Shut up about my muscles!”

Bruce walked through the back door behind you rubbing his eyes. He blinked against the harsh sunlight. “I can hear them all the way from the basement,” he complained. “What’s the deal?”

Nat tilted her head back. “They’re having trouble getting the pool in.”

“They’re never going to get this done in time for the party,” you added.

Bruce glanced over at Thor, Sam, and Clint. “They’re having trouble with the...Hey!” he shouted at them.

They all turned to look at Bruce. “Just fold it one more time and push it through!” he yelled.

Thor looked at Sam. Sam looked at Thor. They both looked at Clint. Clint folded the pool in half, hotdog style, and dragged it through the gate. He looked at Sam and Thor sheepishly.

“Well, whaddaya know. It fits.” If looks could kill, Clint would be six feet under already.

“Where’s the pump?” Bruce asked.

“The what?” Clint asked, turning back to face him.

“The pump. You know, the thing that adds air to inflate the pool?”

Clint looked from the pool to Bruce and then to the pool again.

“Okay, I know this looks bad…” he began.

You all groaned and went back inside, leaving Clint to deal with the pump, or lack thereof, himself.

* * *

 

“Ahh, Labor Day weekend,” Bucky crooned. “The end of the summer. The time of change and transition. The-hey!” he exclaimed as you poked him in the ribs.

“Less talking, more chopping!” you commanded. He stuck his tongue out, but went back to cutting up vegetables.

You and Bucky were in charge of the fruit salad and veggie tray while Nat was making dessert. Sam and Steve were in charge of the grill, and Thor recruited Clint to go to the liquor store. It was determined that Clint was more of a hazard to the pool than anything else, so Tony and Bruce were currently trying to figure out how to inflate it without an actual pump. They had taken three hairdryers and some bike pumps out earlier, and they seemed confident their idea would work.

Holidays were celebrated well in the brownstone, and Labor Day was no exception. Even though it was technically on a Monday, the whole group rarely had off at the same time, so they partied on Sunday instead.

Suddenly, you could hear Bruce and Tony cheering wildly in the backyard.

“No way,” Bucky whispered, trying to look out the kitchen window. You opened the door and rushed outside, Bucky and Nat following close behind. Sure enough, the pool was in the center of the tiny yard, slowly inflating with air.

“Yo, this is going to be awesome!” Sam whooped from his position at the grill. Steve just smiled as he flipped another burger.

The excitement was contagious, and by the time the food was ready and Thor and Clint returned with the alcohol, everyone was ready for a party.

Tony hooked up some speakers, and a Pandora playlist began streaming through the night air. You and Bucky carried out the coffee table from the living room and helped arrange the different dishes of food. Burgers, hot dogs, chips, soda and more covered the table, and there was more than enough for everyone. The weather was beautiful, and the vibes were great. You couldn’t remember the last time you had this much fun at a backyard party.

After downing a few beers, Clint was the first to christen the pool. He moved one of the lawn chairs closer to the edge and used it to jump in, cannonball style.

“Whoo!” he yelled, grinning from ear to ear as he came up from under the water. “Who’s coming in next?”

“I’m good,” Bruce announced. He had grabbed a lawn chair and parked it in the corner of the yard away from most of the commotion. He was completely content to nurse his one beer all night and observe everyone else.

“Hey Clint!” Tony called. “I bet you can’t jump off the fence and land in the pool.”

You stared at Tony with your mouth gaped open in surprise, and he gave you a cheeky grin in return. You had assumed Tony was really quiet and shy after your first encounter. Turns out, he’s only quiet when he’s in the zone while he’s working. Otherwise, he’s a fairly outgoing, even cocky, guy. He also loved to cause a bit of mischief, especially when Clint was involved.

“Clint, that’s a bad idea,” Steve warned. He had no reason to worry because as soon as Clint got out of the pool, Thor snuck up behind him, lifted him up and threw him right back in.

You walked over next to Steve’s chair and sat down in the grass next to him. You smiled as you watched Thor and Clint bicker with each other. Steve tried to look annoyed, but a hint of smile escaped and you couldn’t help but giggle.

“Whatcha drawing?” you asked, looking up at Steve. He had a small sketchbook in his lap, and his pencil was working furiously over the paper. Steve was an extremely talented artist, and he did a lot of freelance work for magazines and newspapers.

He tilted the book towards you, and you admired his artwork. He drew the backyard scene in an exaggerated cartoon format. The central point of the piece was the pool, and waves of water rose out from the center. He was starting to outline Thor’s muscular physique, and you giggled as you noticed Clint’s feet sticking out of the water.

“That looks amazing!” you praised. The tips of Steve’s ears turned red and he gave you a grateful smile in return.

“You going in?” he asked, nodding towards the pool.

You shook your head. “Nah, I don’t have a bathing suit.” You didn’t have to say it, but Steve knew you probably hadn’t gotten the chance to pack one before leaving your house.

“Oh, please! Don’t let that stop you!” Bucky replied, plopping down on the other side of Steve’s chair. He took a huge chunk out of his burger, and thanks to his tank top, you were able to admire his tattoo sleeve up close for the first time. The metal paneling went all the way from his shoulder down to his wrist. Knuts and bolts were perfectly placed, and whenever Bucky flexed his arms, you could have sworn the panels were actually moving. A large red star stood out against the shiny silver undertones.

“Like what you see?” he joked, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Shut up!” you scoffed, your face turning a deep shade of red. “It just looks really cool.”

“Well I hope so,” he commented. “It took almost twelve hours.”

Before you could comment, Sam shouted from across the yard. All three of you looked over at the source of the noise. Apparently, Clint was finally following through with Tony’s challenge and was perched on top of the wooden fence.

“Dude, you better get your ass down before you hurt yourself!” Sam exclaimed. Ever the neutral party, Nat stood close by sipping her beer casually.

“You’d think Nat would be more concerned considering he’s her best friend,” you said to Steve and Bucky.

“Ha!” Bucky laughed. “Nat knows the best way to deal with Clint is to not deal with him.” He turned to look back at Clint. “He’ll learn.”

“He might learn,” Steve said, “but is that before or after he hurts himself?”

“After,” you and Bucky both replied.

Clint steadied himself and bent his knees. He launched off the edge of the fence and miraculously made it into the pool. Tony and Thor cheered from the sidelines. Steve downed the rest of his beer and stood up.

“I’m going in,” he said. “You coming, Buck?”

Bucky finished his beer as well and followed after Steve. They opted to take the much safer route of jumping off the chair instead of the fence. Sam grabbed a volleyball from the house and soon, an aggressive game started with Sam, Steve and Bucky against Thor, Tony and Clint. Nat opted to stay out of the pool and retrieve the ball every time it escaped.

You stole Steve’s seat, leaned back and closed your eyes. The cool air felt refreshing on your skin as the sun began to set. The shouts and laughs from your friends combined provided the perfect soundtrack for your evening.

Just as you were about to fall asleep, something soft landed in your lap. Your eyes flew open and you saw a dark blue sweatshirt covering your legs. Turning your head, you saw Bruce pull a chair up next to you.

“It’s getting cold,” Bruce said, simply. You nodded your thanks and slipped his large sweatshirt over your head. It was so soft, and the sleeves reached past your hands. Bruce was a sweetheart, even if he spent more time around his lab equipment than actual people.

“How’s the lab?” you asked.

Bruce snorted. “The lab’s the lab. I love my research, but I’m ready to have my degree and actually start working.”

“You have, what, a year left?” Bruce nodded. “You’re almost there!” you encouraged.

“True. Can I ask you something?” You nodded. “What were you going to study? In college I mean.” He paused and then held up his hands. “You don’t have to answer. I know it’s kind of a touchy subject.”

“No, it’s okay,” you replied. “I was actually going to study music and business. I still want to, but it’ll just be in New York instead of California, I guess. Can’t really afford to go to the west coast right now.” You both sat in a comfortable silence, watching the rest of your friends.

“I’m proud of you,” he said, quietly. “You’re doing really well.”

“It hasn’t even been a month,” you scoffed. “Don’t be congratulating me on my successes just yet.”

“Yeah, but look what you’ve accomplished. You could have easily given up on everything. But you have a job, a place to live. You still want to go to college. Don’t sell yourself short, kiddo. You’re doing well.”

You paused and considered everything Bruce just said. He was right, you had accomplished a lot in the short time since you left home. Getting praise from Bruce was like getting praised by an older brother. His approval meant the world to you, and a warm, fuzzy feeling spread from the tips of your toes to your cheeks. “I’ve never thought about it like that,” you replied. “Thank you.” You smiled shyly up at him.

“Hey, can I see your phone for a second?” he asked, suddenly.

Not thinking anything of it, you pulled it out of your pocket and handed it to him. Instead of swiping it open, he placed your phone on the ground next to his chair and gave you an apologetic smile. Before you could react, a strong pair of arms hoisted you out of your seat.

“Nat, what are you doing?” you yelled as she dragged you to the pool. Bruce came up behind you and helped lift you off the ground. They carried you over to the edge of the pool towards the cheers from the other boys.

“Bruce, on three!” Nat laughed. You struggled in her grip, but wound up giggling your protest instead.

“Don’t you dare!” you gasped.

“One, two, THREE!” Nat and Bruce worked together to swing you back and throw you into the pool. You sank into the freezing water and came back up spluttering and shaking your head.

“Yeah, Y/N!” Bucky shouted, lifting you in a hug. Bruce and Nat quickly climbed in as well until everyone was standing inside the pool.

“I hate all of you,” you replied, no actual malice in your words.

“You love us and you know it,” Tony said.

Bucky let you go, and you splashed Tony with some water. Tony playfully scowled and splashed you back, hitting Steve in the process as well.

“Hey!” Steve protested, splashing back. Soon, everyone was laughing and splashing each other with water. Bruce got Nat really good with a huge wave, and Thor belly flopped in the middle of the fight. Bucky even managed to dunk Sam under a few times, prompting a new challenge. You tried to fight off Steve as he wrapped his arms around your waist, but there was no point. He easily lifted you and dragged you under water with him.

Everyone finally stopped goofing around when the sound of chattering teeth took over. The sun had completely set, and the cold air had turned the once refreshing pool water into an icebox. You all clambered out of the pool and wrung out your clothes. After grabbing the leftover food and placing it on the kitchen counters, you collectively decided to deal with it all tomorrow.

“Movie night?” Thor called as he walked down to the basement to change his pants.

“I’m in!” Bucky yelled.

Everyone else shouted their consent, and you quickly dashed in your room to change. You changed into a pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, and threw your wet clothes in the bathroom sink. By the time you walked back into the living room, everyone had begun to settle on the couch and bean bag chairs. Nat had brought down some fuzzy blankets, and Steve held one end open for you as you climbed onto the couch. You curled against his side under the blanket and smiled.

You wouldn’t have wanted to spend your Sunday any other way. 


	6. Thanksgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feeling lonely on Thanksgiving, Y/N wanders around New York City. What she finds turns out to be quite the surprise.

Loneliness is a funny thing. You don’t have to be alone to feel it. It’s probably more common that way, but it’s not necessarily the rule. For example, you could be surrounded by eight of the nicest, most bizarre people you’ve ever met and still feel lonely sometimes. 

September had come and gone, and the cool air of October signaled the exit of summer weather. Jarvis had made good on his promise and your hours became more bearable at the cafe. You kept your eyes open for that next step in your future, but truth be told, you had no idea what that was. Was it college? A new job? Everyone else in the brownstone (except Clint) seemed to have an idea of where they wanted their lives to go. But you? You were barely eighteen and had just had your entire future yanked out from underneath your feet.

By the time November rolled around, it was hard to keep pushing these feelings down. In the spirit of the season, you knew you had a lot to be thankful for: a house, a job, and friends. But at the same time, you couldn’t help but wish life was a little bit easier. You were worrying about things you never thought you would have to deal with right away.

Money was always on your mind. Sometimes you swore you saw dollar signs in your dreams. You squirreled as much of your earnings away as you could, even though you couldn’t articulate exactly what you were saving for. Bruce had helped you open a savings account at the bank, and it felt good to have a debit card again, even if you rarely used it. You never realized how much it cost to be out on your own until you had to start footing the bill for everything. Rent, electric, phone, food...it all added up. And fast. Some weeks were tighter than others, and you could spend money on things you deemed to be “unnecessary”. You knew you needed a more diverse wardrobe, and some decorations in your room would have been nice, but you couldn’t bring yourself to spend the money.  

Health insurance was another thing you never thought about before. You technically didn’t qualify as a full-time employee at the cafe, so you had to get insurance of your own now that your parents had kicked you off their plan. Nat and Sam helped you shop around for a solid deal that wasn’t outrageously expensive, but it still was more than you were expecting. However, you were really thankful you had it when you took an unexpected trip to urgent care for a twisted ankle (you had Clint and Thor to thank for that one).

All of these little things started to increase your stress levels. You wished you could say you were handling it well, but honestly, you felt like a yo-yo. Some days, you could see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you felt hopeful about the future to come.

Then, there were days like today. Thanksgiving to be exact. Everyone else in the brownstone had headed home to visit their respective families, leaving you behind. Now, almost all of them had offered to bring you with them so you wouldn’t spend the holiday alone, but you politely declined. It was too hard to think about spending time with someone else’s family right now. Thor and Tony went on some exotic cruise with Thor’s parents, while Nat and Clint took a road trip to Iowa to visit his. Steve, Sam, Bruce and Bucky were the only ones left in New York, and they were all staying at Bucky’s house. Bucky had given you his address before they left in case you changed your mind.

As you walked down the cold streets of Brooklyn in Bruce’s sweatshirt, you almost wished you had taken one of them up on their offer. The empty house had seemed appealing yesterday when everyone was gone. You had complete control of the TV and ate ice cream for dinner without worrying about Steve judging your food choices. But today, the silence was deafening, and by dinnertime, you wanted to jump out of your skin. So, you walked.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of stores were closed by now. A few random food shops were lit up with activity, but for the most part, it was quiet. You weren’t exactly sure where you were going, but you knew you weren’t there yet.

A gust of wind kicked up, and you pulled the hood tighter over your face. Shivering, you glanced around for an open store to seek shelter in until you could feel your fingers and toes again. A brightly lit storefront greeted you across the street, and you hurried over and opened the door. A small bell chimed as you made your way into the shop. Once you removed your hood and got your bearings, you had the chance to look around.

It was if you had died and gone to heaven. Guitars, violins, drums, and more decorated the walls and floor of the shop. A glass case stood in front of you full of guitar picks, capos and reeds. The wall behind it was covered with album cover art and vinyl discs. The smell of brass polish lingered in the air, and soft jazz music played from a speaker in the ceiling. It was messy and a bit chaotic, but to you, it was perfect. Whoever owned this store was clearly passionate about music.

It had always been your dream to teach music lessons and maybe even open a school or music store. As you wandered around the store in awe, that dream was reignited. You pictured yourself working behind the counter, helping a kid pick out his first wind instrument. You looked over at the baby grand piano in the back of the store and saw yourself sharing the bench with an old woman, teaching her to play her partner’s favorite song. Everywhere you turned, you could see yourself. You could see a future.

“See anything you like?” a voice said, interrupting you from your thoughts.

You blinked and glanced over to the cash register where a man had appeared. He wore a white dress shirt with a black tie and dark jeans. His face was kind, and his smile put you at ease. You walked up to the counter.

“I’m just looking,” you replied, shyly. “Your store is amazing.”

“Thank you! SHIELD Music has been in my family for years.” He paused and took in your appearance. “How old are you?”

His directness caught you off guard. “Eighteen,” you said, nervously. “Why?”

“What’s an eighteen year old doing all alone on Thanksgiving?” he asked. “And where’s your winter jacket? It’s pretty cold out.”

If it had been any other stranger asking you these questions, you would have run by now (after rendering them defenseless with the skills Nat had taught you, of course). But for some reason, this man seemed different. He actually seemed to care. You tried to form the words that adequately answered his queries, but all you could do was shrug.

Sensing your discomfort, he changed the subject. “Can you play?” he asked.

You nodded, grateful for the change. “Piano and guitar for sure, but I’ve dabbled with a bunch of stuff.”

He raised his eyebrows and almost seemed impressed with your confidence. And you had plenty of reasons to be confident. The music school you had been accepted to was top notch, and you had been playing for years. Walking out from behind the register, he beckoned you to follow him over to the baby grand in the back of the store. He stood in front of it and waved his hands at the bench.

“Show me what you’ve got, kid,” he said. There was a hint of cheekiness in his eyes, and you couldn’t help but smile at his request. You sat down at the bench and let your fingers hover over the keys. Taking a deep breath, you concentrated on what song you wanted to play.

Even though it had been months since you played, the ivory keys felt at home underneath your fingertips. You sighed in relief as you remembered how to play Beethoven’s Moonlight sonata from memory. You played a few soft notes at first to test the water, but then you closed your eyes and really got into it. As you played, you switched it up and began to transition into a completely different song.

 

_ Like a small boat _

_ In the ocean _

_ Sending big waves _

_ Into motion _

 

You sang as you played, and you could feel emotions building up in your chest. This song was one of your favorites, even if it wasn’t the most difficult one you’ve ever played. You loved it because it was about hope, and hope was one thing you really needed right now. Your voice grew stronger with each verse, and you let the rhythm of the music take control.

 

_ This is my fight song _

_ Take back my life song _

_ Prove I’m alright song _

_ My power’s turned on _

_ Starting right now I’ll be strong _

_ I’ll play my fight song _

_ And I don’t really care if nobody else believes _

_ ‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me _

 

As you finished out the song, you noticed the keys felt wet. Without even realizing it, you had begun to cry at some point during the song. After you played the last note, you sat and continued to cry. Music had always been cathartic for you, and it had been a while since you had been able to release your stress.

The man stood next to the piano and waited for you to calm down. Your cheeks red with embarrassment, you refused to meet his eyes and waited for him to kick you out. Instead, he held out his hand.

“The name’s Phil Coulson,” he said, gently.

You carefully shook his hand. “Y/N,” you replied.

“When was the last time you played your instruments?”

“It’s been a few months,” you replied, honestly.

He hummed, clearly impressed with your answer. “You looking for a job, Y/N?”

You had to do a double take. Did he just offer you a job?

“Wh...what?” was all you could manage to get out.

“I’m starting music lessons after the holidays, and I don’t have enough teachers. You can start next week working in the store, get reacquainted with your music. If I think you can handle it, you can take on a few clients.”

Your mouth gaped open in shock. “Are you...are you serious?” you stuttered.

“Very. I need the help. And from what I just heard, you have a lot of potential.” He let the information sink in. “You can think about it and get back to me if-”

“No!” you interrupted. “No, I want this. Please.” You didn’t care if you sounded desperate; you needed this job.

He held out his hand again, and you shook it to seal the deal. You could feel your smile stretching your face, and for the first time in months, you felt excited about your future.

“I do have one requirement, though,” he said after letting go.

You nodded vigorously, ready to accept anything he threw at you. At this point, you were willing to jump in the river naked if it meant you could actually teach music lessons.

He gently placed one hand on your shoulder. The look on his face reminded you vaguely of Steve when he was worried about you. “Go home, Y/N. It’s Thanksgiving. Spend it with your family.”

You swallowed and hung your head. “I can’t,” you whispered. “My parents don’t want me around.”

“Hmm,” Coulson hummed thoughtfully. “So there’s no one you can spend Thanksgiving with? No one at all? Not even a friend?”

“There might be some friends,” you admitted after a few moments. “But I already told them I wasn’t coming, and I don’t want to bother them.”

“Can I give you some advice?” he asked, sitting next to you on the bench. Without waiting for you to reply, he continued: “We can’t choose our family, but we can choose our friends. If you have someone that wants you to spend time with them, do it. You seem like a smart, young woman. And you’re one heck of a piano player. I don’t think they would have offered if they didn’t want you to come.”

He paused and let his words sink in. As much as you didn’t want to be a burden, you realized you desperately wanted a family tonight. You checked the time on your phone.

“It’s only 6,” Coulson said. “You can still make it.”

You nodded. “Thank you,” you said, gratefully. “For the job and the advice.” You both stood up and went back to the register. After exchanging cell phone numbers, you started walking towards the door.

“Wait!” Coulson called. He ran into some sort of storage room and came out a few seconds later with a leather jacket. “Here, take this,” he said, handing it over to you.

“I can’t-”

“Yes, you can,” he replied, sternly. “You need a heavier jacket.”

You slipped the jacket on and zipped it up. It was slightly too big for you, but the double layers on the inside began warming you up. It smelled faintly of pine needles, and you found it comforting.

“Thank you so much. I love it.”

“Good,” he said, nodding. “Happy Thanksgiving, Y/N.”

“Happy Thanksgiving,” you replied.

You pushed the door open and stepped out into the cold. The chilly air barely penetrated your new jacket, and you hummed in content. Pulling out your phone, you opened the text with Bucky’s address.

You managed to make it to the front door just before 7. The house itself was quaint and inviting. You stared at the door nervously and almost walked away. However, some random burst of courage convinced you to press the doorbell. You could barely hear it chiming faintly through the door over the sound of your pounding heart. You silently prayed that this wasn’t a mistake and that they would be happy to see you.

A young woman who looked slightly older than you answered the door. Wavy brown hair flowed down to her shoulders, and her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled. She looked like a mirror image of Bucky.

“Hi,” the woman said. “Can I help you?”

“Um, I’m looking for Bucky,” you answered.

Her eyes brightened at the sound of her brother’s name. “You must be Y/N!” she exclaimed. “Oh my gosh, come in! It’s freezing out!”

She opened the door wider so you could walk inside. The warm house was a nice contrast to the freezing chill outside. You could smell the food, and your stomach grumbled. You hadn’t eaten anything since lunchtime, and you were starving.

“Bucky and the other boys have been talking about you all night,” the girl gushed.

“Really?” you asked, shocked.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Sam was just about ready to bring you over here himself.”

“Mini Barnes!” a familiar voice called. “Who’s at the door?” Sam strolled into the foyer, and his eyes lit up when he saw you. “Y/N!”

He ran over and swept you up in a loving hug. “Glad you had enough sense to come over,” he chuckled. “We were worried about you.” 

You hugged him back tighter and smiled. It felt good to be missed. Your stomach growled again, and this time, it was loud enough for Sam to hear.

“C’mon, let’s get you some food,” he said, pulling you towards the kitchen. The savory smells intensified as you got closer, and your mouth began to water.

“Yo, look who finally showed up!” he exclaimed. Bucky, Steve, and Bruce all turned around from their spots in the kitchen and swarmed you with hugs.

“Y/N!”

“I’m so glad you could come!”

“Is that my sweatshirt?”

You were quickly overwhelmed by their affection and tried to pry yourself out of their grasp.

“Becca, grab a plate from the cabinet, would ya?” Bucky asked the young woman. “The kid’s gotta eat!”

While Becca put together a plate of food, the boys led you to the living room and insisted you make yourself comfortable. An older couple walked in to see what all the commotion was about.

“Ma! Dad! This is Y/N, our roommate,” Bucky said. “Y/N, these are my parents. George and Winifred.”

You shyly stood up and walked over to greet them. “Thank you so much for having me,” you said, holding out your hand.

Instead of shaking your hand, Bucky’s mom gently cupped your cheeks. “It is so good to finally meet you,” she replied. “The boys have told us so much about you.” She gently wrapped her arms around you and pulled you into a hug. Your breath hitched in the back of your throat, and you blinked back tears. She waited for you to pull away first, and Bucky’s dad gave you a similar hug.

“You’re welcome here anytime, sweetheart,” Winifred said, and George nodded his agreement. She clapped her hands together. “Let’s get a picture of you all!” she exclaimed.

The boys groaned.

“C’mon, Ma,” Bucky whined. “This isn’t prom!”

“Um, actually,” you chimed in, “it might be nice. Kind of like a family picture, you know?”

It was as if you had spoken magic words. Sam, Bruce, Steve, and Bucky crowded around you in an almost group hug as Becca took Bucky’s phone. Smiling widely, she captured the moment, and showed you all the picture.

Bucky and Steve had their arms wrapped around both your shoulders. Bucky had leaned in and pressed a kiss to the side of your head. Sam’s arm was wrapped around Steve’s neck, and his eyes were squinty from his wide smile. Steve was smiling widely at Sam’s action, and he held up bunny ears behind Sam’s head. Bruce had his arms wrapped around your stomach and had placed his head on top of yours, a ridiculous smile adorning his face.

You giggled as you looked at the picture and made Bucky promise to text it to you.

“Your food is in the kitchen, Y/N!” Becca announced. “Let’s go eat!”

You nodded and started to follow everyone, but Steve stopped you.

“I’m glad you came, Y/N,” he said. “You doing okay? You’ve seemed...off the last couple of weeks.”

You shrugged. “Some days are better than others,” you answered honestly. “It’s just hard sometimes.”

Steve opened his arms and pulled you into a hug. “I know I can’t help change stuff, but we’re all here if you need us,” he said over your shoulder.

“Thanks, Steve,” you replied, squeezing him tighter.

He pulled back and ruffled your hair, earning a punch in the shoulder from you.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Y/N.”

You smiled back. “Happy Thanksgiving to you too.” You rubbed your hands together excitedly and bounced towards the kitchen, your mood significantly lighter than before.

“Come on, Steve! Let’s eat!”


	7. Don't Tell Steve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s New Year’s Eve at the brownstone! After Steve refuses to let you enjoy one tiny drink to celebrate your new job, your other friends decide to take matters into their own hands.

“That is an excellent choice!” you told the thirteen year-old staring up at you. He carefully held the neck of an Ibanez guitar in his left hand while his right supported the bottom. He sat on the stool you had pulled over and tentatively strummed the strings. They let out a soft harmonious riff.

“Nice! Now try this.” You moved the fingers on his left hand around the different frets. “This is a G chord,” you explained, pressing his fingers against the strings. “Try strumming it now.”

The boy complied, and grinned at the new sound. “So cool,” he whispered, staring at his hand in awe.

“And,” you added, “if you move these two fingers down a string, they make a Cadd9 chord.” He slowly moved his index and middle fingers down and looked to you for approval. When you nodded encouragingly, he strummed again.

“Great job!” you praised. “You’ll be jamming before you know it!”

“Is that the one you want, honey?” his mom asked, walking over.

“Yeah!” he exclaimed. “Look what Y/N taught me to do!” He showed his mom the two chords he learned, his tongue peeking out of the corner of his mouth in determination.

“Wow, look at you!” his mom commended. “Do you do lessons by any chance?” she asked, turning to you.

Before you could say anything, Phil came over and interrupted. “Actually, Y/N will be available for lessons after next week. You can call in to schedule your first lesson.”

“Wonderful!” the mom replied.

You did a great job at containing your excitement as Phil rang out their purchase and until they left the store. As soon as the door closed, you couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Are you serious?” you asked incredulously. “I get to start teaching?”

Phil nodded. “You’ve been doing a great job, and you really make connections with kids. We just need to figure out a schedule for you.”

It was true. Ever since Black Friday, you had been working at the store almost every day. Sure, that meant working a lot of doubles with your morning hours at the cafe, but you didn’t mind at all. You knew all of the instruments like the back of your hand and were able to help just about every customer. You definitely had people skills, and apparently, Phil had noticed your effort.

“Thank you so much, Phil!” you exclaimed, hugging him. 

“We’ll start you on guitar and piano,” he said. “If your drum and violin skills progress, we might be able to add those later.”

You nodded. “That sounds amazing.”

The bell above the door chimed and you both looked over. Becca Barnes walked in smiling and carrying a large bag.

“Hey, Y/N!” she said.

“Becca! How’s it going?” you asked, blushing slightly.

“Everything’s good,” she replied, placing the bag on the counter. “Thanks again for bringing this stuff back to Bucky. He’s so forgetful.”

You and Bucky had gone back to his parents for Christmas, and it was the best holiday you could remember. You and Becca had gotten especially close, and had spent most of the mini vacation talking and getting to know each other. You also discovered your mutual love for video games, and spent a large portion of your time ganging up against Bucky on Super Mario Party. Ever since then, you had pretty much been texting every day. Bucky had accidentally left some of his clothes and books at home and had asked Becca to run them over to your store.

“No problem! Although I’m surprised your mom didn’t make him come over himself,” you giggled. Winifred was one of the kindest women you had ever met, but she also didn’t put up with any nonsense.

“I know right?” Becca replied. “It’s okay though. Gave me an excuse to see you.” She smiled and you knew your face was red because you could practically feel the heat radiating off your cheeks. “I’ve gotta go,” she said, breaking the silence. “Happy New Year! Have fun tonight!” She waved and walked out the door.

“Hmmm,” Phill hummed thoughtfully.

You turned around to glare at him. “What?” you asked accusingly.

“Nothing!” he said, turning the page of his magazine. “Just observing.”

After few more hours went by and a some more customers came in. Phil finally checked his watch after a girl bought a new pack of reeds for her clarinet. “You should head out before all the crazies hit the streets,” he said. “Next time you come back, be sure to bring a schedule for lessons.”

You nodded and grabbed your purse and Bucky’s bag from behind the counter. “Thanks Phil, I will. Happy New Year!”

By the time you made it home, the New Year’s Eve party was in full swing. You quickly dumped your bags into your increasingly over-crowded room. When Phil had offered you the job at SHIELD Music, you had decided to spend some of the money you had been squirreling away on instruments. You had managed to fit a guitar, keyboard, drum set and violin into your microscopic space and had spent almost a third of your savings. It didn’t bother you though. Practicing music gave you a purpose, and you knew you were working towards an awesome goal. The others didn’t seem to mind when you practiced, even though you had to stick half of the drum set out of your room to be able to practice properly.

Tony and Clint were fumbling with Tony’s computer and the TV as you walked into the living room. A shirtless Thor and an annoyed Bruce were lounging on the couch watching the scene. Finger foods covered the coffee table, and your stomach grumled.

“I’m telling you, we should put it in the third slot,” Clint commented from behind the TV.

“Why are you even here?” Tony asked. “I’m the electronics person, not you!”

“Geez, way to accept a friend’s help!” Clint replied, poking his head out. He looked over to you and smiled. “Hey, Y/N!”

The others greeted you, and you waved back.

“What are you doing?” you asked.

“They’re trying to hack the Chromecast from our neighbors,” Bruce replied. “It’s not going to work.”

“Bruce, I find your lack of faith in me disturbing,” Tony said, clutching a hand to his chest in mock offense.

“There is sustenance in the kitchen, Y/N,” Thor boomed, taking a sip of his beer. Clearly, he was already starting to feel the buzz. He always spoke with a weird vocabulary when he got a little tipsy.

“Thanks, Thor. Uh, good luck with your hacking,” you replied, carefully stepping over the wires.

The others were all hanging out in the kitchen eating pizza and drinking alcohol. The counter was lined with different liquors and beer bottles, and the pizza boxes sat on top of the oven. You grabbed a slice and hopped up to sit on an empty spot on the counter.

“How was work?” Bucky asked from the kitchen table.

You gave him a big thumbs up as you chewed a bite and swallowed. “Phil’s going to let me start lessons next week!” you exclaimed.

“That’s awesome!” Nat cheered. She took a shot of vodka in celebration, her face scrunching up at the powerful taste.

“Fantastic!” Steve agreed. “Will you keep your hours at the cafe?”

“I’m going to try, but I’m probably going to rearrange my schedule,” you said. “I really like the cafe, plus it’s extra money.”

“Well, this definitely calls for a celebration,” Steve said.

“I’m so glad you agree!” you replied, reaching for a bottle of cake flavored vodka. Before you could even touch the neck of the bottle, Steve was over in a flash yanking it out of your reach.

“Don’t even think about it, kid,” he warned. You couldn’t help but bristle at the extra emphasis he put on “kid”.

“Aww, c’mon Steve!” you whined.

He shook his head. “No way. You’re not 21.”

“Steve, one drink isn’t going to hurt,” Sam said, taking a sip of beer.

“Do you have any idea how much trouble we’d be in if Peggy decided to drop by and check in on us?” Steve demanded. “We’d be out of here before the ball dropped!” He looked back at you with some sympathy. “Sorry, Y/N, not tonight.”

You lightly kicked the lower cabinets with your feet. You knew Steve was right, but that didn’t make it easier to sit back and watch your friends drink all night.

Suddenly, you all heard a loud crash and zapping noise coming from the living room. The lights flickered slightly then stayed on.

“I can fix that!” Tony called to no one in particular.

The boys went to investigate the noise, leaving you and Nat alone in the kitchen. She peered around the corner of the door to make sure you were truly alone and then beckoned you over. You sat down across from her as she poured another shot.

“Quick, drink this,” she whispered, sliding it over to you.

“Seriously?” you asked, grabbing the cool glass. She nodded and you sniffed the liquid. It smelled like rubbing alcohol mixed with blueberries.

“Have you ever taken a shot before?” You shyly shook your head. “It’s easy,” she explained. “You just need to make sure you kind of pour it to the back of your throat. And,” she added, putting a hand over yours, “you don’t have to take it if you don’t want to. There’s no pressure.”

“I’m good,” you said. You brought the glass up to your lips and quickly tipped it back. You swallowed and groaned as it burned your throat. “Ugh, that was nasty! Why do you guys like it so much?”

“Just give it a few minutes,” she replied, smiling. “Make sure you drink water. A lot of it. And, obviously, don’t tell Steve.”

You nodded and walked with her back to the living room. You tried not to act weird even though you felt like you had a big, special secret.

Clint’s hair seemed to be standing up a bit straighter than before, but he and Tony had managed to get the TV working. The New Year’s Eve pre-show was streaming on the TV.

“Crap, I forgot my water,” you said, turning back around.

“I need one too,” Sam said, walking with you. You grabbed two bottles from the fridge, and when you turned around, Sam was holding a shot.

“Here,” he said, handing it to you. “One isn’t gonna hurt tonight.”

You tried to protest and explain Nat’s kind act, but he switched a water bottle for the shot. “Hurry up before Steve comes in!” he hissed. “But only if you want to,” he said quickly.

You gave him your answer by downing the shot. This one didn’t burn as much as the first one, and you quickly placed the glass on the counter.

“Atta girl,” he replied. “Drink some water, would ya? And don’t tell Steve.”

You twisted the cap off and took a few gulps. Once Sam was satisfied, you both walked back into the living room.

As everyone watched TV and played some card games to pass the time, you began to feel a bit strange. Your body tingled and felt warm, and you were certain your cheeks were flushed. Everything also seemed a little funnier than usual. 

“Oh, Y/N, did Becca stop by and bring you my stuff?” Bucky asked during a game of poker.

“Yup! She did!” you replied a bit too enthusiastically. “I’ll get it!” You hopped off the couch and into your room. Grabbing the bag, you nearly tripped over your drum set as you tried to bring it to Bucky. Thankfully, he caught you before you could fall to the ground.

“Easy there!” he laughed. You blushed and handed him the bag. Bucky checked to make sure no one was paying attention to the two of you and held out his bottle of tequila. “I feel bad Steve shut you down,” he explained. “It’s not going to kill you to have one drink on New Years, right?”

“But Nat and Sam-,” you tried to explain.

“Don’t worry about them, I won’t tell,” he promised. “No pressure, but it’s here if you want it.”

You thought about it, and decided, why the hell not? You never drank, and it’s not like you were going to drink all the time. You took the bottle from his hands. “How much do I drink?” you asked him.

“Just count to two Mississippi,” he chuckled.

You nodded and tilted the bottle back. Tequila tasted a lot different than vodka, and you barely got to one Mississippi before you nearly choked on the taste.

“Oh my gosh, that’s so disgusting!” you coughed. “How can you drink that?”

Bucky laughed and took back the bottle. “It gives you a great buzz,” he replied. “Make sure you drink water,” he said turning to take his bag upstairs. “And Y/N? Don’t tell Steve.”

Throughout the rest of the night, it was as if your friends had made it their personal mission to provide you with alcohol. Tony offered you some more tequila when you went to get another bottle of water as long as you promised not to tell Steve.

Clint escorted you upstairs to use the bathroom while the downstairs one was occupied and let you try some of his whiskey. “Don’t tell Steve,” he commanded as you shut the door to relieve your bursting bladder.

Thor and Bruce brought you down in the basement to “help” them find a board game. Two shots of cake vodka later and a vow of silence later, you reemerged with the game and a definite buzz.

Gravity seemed to be your enemy, and you slowly felt yourself sink into the comfy couch as the clock ticked away towards midnight. You had given up talking for fear of slurring your words and giving away your current condition. You settled for staring at everyone with half-closed eyes as you let the tingling feeling consume you.

“You okay, Y/N?” Steve finally asked. You gave him a thumbs up and a goofy smile. “You sure? You’ve barely said a word.” You nodded again, but he still looked at you suspiciously.

Nat motioned for you to straighten up, and you quickly followed the command, taking a sip of your water.

“Hey, Y/N, can you get me a bottle of water from the kitchen?” Steve asked.

You tried to push yourself up from the edge of the couch, but the room lazily spun around you. “Whoa!” you yelped, dropping back onto the couch. You laughed and pointed up. “Make the room stop spinning, please!” you commanded the ceiling.

“I knew it!” Steve yelled. “Who gave her alcohol?” He glared around the room until every single one of his friends raised their hands. They all stared at each other, eyes widening with realization.

“Oh my god,” Nat mumbled.

“What were you guys thinking?” Bucky exclaimed.

“We didn’t know everyone else had given her drinks!” Tony said, holding his hands up. “She didn’t say anything!”

“You each gave her a shot of vodka?” Sam asked.

“She had some of my tequila.”

“I let her try some whisky.”

“You mixed liquors?!” Nat exclaimed.

“She’s been drinking water all night,” Bruce commented. “That’s her third bottle. Her hangover will be pretty mild.”

“Not helping Bruce!” Steve retorted.

As they continued to bicker, your stomach churned and bubbled. Recognizing the sour taste in your mouth, you quickly stumbled to the bathroom and made it to the toilet just in time. You puked the entire contents of your stomach and hugged the toilet bowl for support. Gentle hands pulled your hair back until you finally stopped.

“You okay?” you heard Steve ask from above you.

Nodding weakly, you leaned against the wall. “Yeah,” you mumbled, the fog lifting from your brain. “I feel better.”

“What were you thinking, kid?” he asked as he sat down in front of you.

“I just wanted to drink with you guys,” you admitted. “It sucks being the youngest sometimes.”

“That much alcohol is really dangerous,” he said sternly. “You’re lucky you drank all that water or you could have gotten really sick.”

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, tears filling your eyes. “I didn’t mean to ruin your New Years.”

Steve laughed. “Oh, this isn’t the worst. Trust me.”

“It’s not?”

“Nope, the title of New Year’s Eve ruiner goes to Clint. Tony dared him to drink ten shots in a row. He wound up getting alcohol poisoning and we spent New Year’s Eve watching the ball drop from the waiting room of the ER.”

“Poor Clint,” you giggled.

“Poor Clint?!” Sam shouted from the living room. “How about poor us? That was a miserable experience!”

“Hey, your lives would be boring without me!” Clint said, trying to defend his honor.

You and Steve rolled your eyes as they continued to argue over that fateful New Years. “The ball’s going to drop soon,” Steve said. “You feel up to watching it?”

You nodded and carefully stood up. When the world didn’t spin, you took a few steps forward and looked up at Steve. “Sorry,” you said again. “I promise I won’t drink that much anymore.”

Steve quirked his eyebrows at you when you didn’t say you wouldn’t drink again until you were 21. He decided to save that conversation for another time and gave you a hug. You revealed in his warm embrace and the minty scent of his aftershave. When he smiled at you, you knew all was forgiven.

After swishing around some water and spitting it in the sink, you were ready to party again. You walked back out into the living room and sat down on the couch as the announcer was counting down the last sixty seconds before midnight. Everyone held out their beer and liquor bottles while you held out your water.

“Five...four...three...two...one...HAPPY NEW YEAR!” you all shouted at the TV. Everyone cheered and drank and hugged each other.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket, and you took it out.

**_Becca:_ ** _ Happy New Year, Y/N! It’s going to be a great year. I can feel it! _

Your smile overtook your face as you decided what to type back. Maybe it was the residual effects of the alcohol, or maybe you just felt it was time, but you decided to take a risk.

**_Y/N:_ ** _ Happy New Year to you too! I’m so glad we met! You’re amazing! I have a question for you… _

**_Becca:_ ** _ Awww that’s so sweet! What’s up? _

**_Y/N:_ ** _ Would you maybe want to go out with me sometime? Like on a date? _

The noise of the room seemed to fade away as you anxiously awaited her response. Finally, your screen lit up as she texted you back.

**_Becca:_ ** _ I’d love to :)  _


	8. Who Ate My Chips?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A heinous crime has been committed at the Brownstone. Can everyone work together to solve the biggest mystery to ever occur at 1:30am?

A rustling outside your room stirred you from a peaceful slumber. A rousing crash had you jolting out of bed and falling roughly onto the floor.

“What the-?” you mumbled, rubbing your sore elbow. You carefully crept up over your bed to peer through the window that overlooked the living room. You could make out a faint shadow snooping around in the kitchen. Whoever it was, they were disturbing your precious sleeping hours. You grabbed your drum sticks for protection and quietly tip toed out of your room to investigate further.

As you made your way to the kitchen, you could hear someone grumbling as they opened cabinet after cabinet. Heart pounding, you finally made it over to where the kitchen wall met the dining room carpet. You raised the sticks over your head and prepared to attack. Before you could do anything, a strong arm wrapped around your mouth and pulled you against them.

“Argh!” you shouted. Or tried to, anyway. The hand held firmly in place, and your eyes widened in panic. Another muscular arm wrapped around your waist and began pulling you away from the doorway. This was it, this was how you were going to die. Before you could truly lose your shit, the mystery attacker spoke.

“Shhh, it’s just me,” Bucky whispered, moving you behind the dining room table. Steve stalked past both of you holding one of Bucky’s huge encyclopedias in his hands. Tony and Sam followed him closely behind with a large monkey wrench and lava lamp, respectively. Steve held a finger to his lips as they moved towards the kitchen.

Bucky removed his hand from your mouth and you turned around angrily. You could faintly make out his intricate tattoo sleeve from the moonlight shining in the window.

“What the hell was that?!” you hissed. “I could have hurt you!”

“With your drum sticks?” Bucky whispered, smiling mischievously. “Doll, I don’t think you could hurt a fly with those.”

“Shut up,” you pouted. You turned back around to watch the events unfold.

The other three boys finally reached the entrance to the kitchen. Sam held up three fingers, then two, then one…

“AHHHHH!” they all yelled, jumping into the kitchen.

Before Bucky could stop you, you dropped your drum sticks and bolted after them, flipping the light switch on as you ran into the kitchen. You were shocked at what you saw.

Clint was sprawled out on the floor clutching the encyclopedia to his chest. He groaned and coughed as he tried to regain his breath. Tony and Sam stood above him with weapons raised, their chests heaving from the adrenaline of their sneak attack. All of the cabinet doors were open, and bags were strewn across the counter and table.

“Clint?” Tony asked, incredulously. “What the hell?”

“What were you thinking you moron?” Steve yelled. “We could have killed you!”

“Yeah, Y/N nearly skewered you with her drum sticks,” Bucky snickered, walking up behind you. He let out an “oomph” as you jabbed him in the ribs with your elbow.

“What are you doing, man?” Sam asked, placing the lava lamp on the table.

“Chips,” Clint wheezed, pushing the book off his body. He took a big gulp of air as you all continued to stare down at him.

“Chips?” you repeated.

“Can’t find the chips,” Clint said. He bent his knees and you noticed a huge tear in his right pant leg.

“You mean these chips?” you asked, walking over to an abandoned bag on the counter. Clint shook his head vigorously as he grasped Steve’s hand and stood up.

“No!” he exclaimed. “THE chips!”

“Oh my gosh, all of this trouble at 1:30am for a bag of THE chips?”

Everyone whirled around to find Nat leaning up against the doorframe. Her red hair somehow managed to look flawless even after a half night’s rest. It flowed down her shoulders and was a stark contrast to her white nightshirt. She rolled her eyes as she sauntered into the kitchen.

“Ohhh,” Tony breathed.

“Makes sense,” Sam added, nodding his head.

“Yeah, okay,” Bucky nodded.

“Why didn’t you say so?” Steve asked.

You looked from one boy to the next, completely befuddled by their new attitude. Then, it was like a lightbulb went off in your head.

“Wait, THE chips? You’re roaming around like a cat burglar because you can’t find THE chips?” You shook your head. “Unbelievable.”

THE chips, according to the boys, were the most glorious chips ever discovered by man. They were perfectly shaped triangles dotted with small bits of lime-flavored salt. It was like having a mini mariachi band dancing on the tongue. With each bite, a new burst of flavor seeped into the taste buds. They made the perfect side dish, break up food, or, apparently, late night snack. At least, that’s what the boys said anyway. You had tried one once, but they had just tasted like regular chips to you, much to their disappointment.

“I’m going back to bed,” you groaned.

Clint grabbed your arm and pulled you back. “Oh no,” he growled. “Someone ate the last of THE chips, and didn’t replace the bag! I demand answers!”

A collective gasp rippled through the group as they realized the level of atrocity committed. No one was supposed to eat the last of THE chips without replacing the bag.

“Well, it wasn’t me,” you insisted, yanking your arm away. “You know I don’t really care about them.”

“You’re breakin’ my heart, Y/N,” Sam said, pretending to wipe a tear from his cheek. You rolled your eyes but stayed in the kitchen.

“Seriously, guys, who ate the last of THE chips?” Clint asked.

“Not me.”

“No way.”

“Uh huh.”

“Nope.”

Nat answered with another roll of her eyes.

Clint groaned in frustration. “Aww come on!”

“What’s wrong?” a voice asked.

You all turned around to see Bruce standing in the doorway. A well-worn leather messenger bag was slung over his shoulder, and he was still wearing his street clothes.

“Are you just getting back from the lab?” Steve asked.

Bruce shrugged. “So what’s wrong?” he repeated. “Shouldn’t you guys be in bed?”

“Well,” Clint huffed, “we would be, but someone ate the last of THE CHIPS!”

Bruce stared at Clint for a few moments, then walked past him and down to the basement.

“I think you broke Bruce,” you said.

“What-?” Tony asked.

“Don’t look at me,” Bucky replied.

Before you could say anything, you heard a loud shout from the basement followed by a booming THUMP. The thumping got closer and closer to the stairway, and you could all faintly hear someone yelping “ouch” as they approached the top steps.

“Ouch, Bruce, what on Earth is your problem?” Thor roared. “I demand you release me at once!”

Bruce finally reappeared at the top of the kitchen dragging an unhappy Thor by the ear. He let go, and Thor shot daggers at him with his eyes as his bare chest puffed out angrily.

“What is the meaning of this?” Thor stewed, rubbing his red ear.

“I think Thor’s got your answers,” Bruce said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“No,” gasped Clint. “Tell me you didn’t eat all of THE chips.”

Thor cleared his throat and turned crimson. “Well, my friend, you see, it’s quite a funny story.” His small laughs quickly died down at the glare from the rest of the boys. “I needed carbs, okay? I was in a hurry to get to the gym, and I needed carbs!”

Tony whistled low as Steve, Bucky, and Sam shook their heads in disappointment. Nat just shrugged at you as the two of you watched the soap opera unfold before you.

“How could you?” Clint wailed. “What am I supposed to do now?”

“Go to sleep?” you suggested. Clint glared at you, and you put your hands up in defense. “Or not! Geez, chill.”

“There’s only one solution for a betrayal as great as this,” Tony said dramatically. “Thor needs to buy more. Now.”

“Now?” you all yelped.

“Now,” Tony repeated, nodding his head solemnly.

Thor pondered his options for a moment and bowed his head. “If it will restore my honor, then I will do it,” he announced.

“The grocery store is open 24 hours,” Bucky added, helpfully.

“Screw, it, I’ll go with,” Steve said. “I’m already awake.”

“Me too,” Sam added.

“Me three,” Tony said.

“Count me in,” Bucky replied.

“Sure, why not?” Bruce said, mostly to himself.

“What the hell,” Nat conceded. “Let’s go Y/N.”

“But I’m tired,” you whined. “I’m not going unless someone carries me.”

Bucky walked in front of you and knelt down in front of you. You squealed happily and hopped on his back.

“Let us go!” Thor exclaimed, leading the caravan outside.

Now that spring had fully entered New York, the air was a fairly comfortable temperature. You nestled against Bucky’s broad back and sighed contentedly.

“So how have you been?” he asked. “I feel like I never see you anymore.”

It was true. You had been working mornings at the coffee shop and afternoons at the SHIELD Music, so you hadn’t walked home with Bucky in months. Your life was busy, but it was a good kind of busy.

“Things have been going really well!” you exclaimed. “Coulson added another student to my roster, so I have eight now. And Jarvis finally switched my schedule so I’m not working with that Loki moron anymore.”

“Great!” Bucky replied. “And how’s my little sister?”

You were thankful that you were on Bucky’s back so he couldn’t see how red your face turned. You smiled widely at the thought of your girlfriend.

“She’s awesome too,” you said, shyly.

You and Becca had been taking things nice and slow, which was perfect for you. Hand holding, cuddling, and short pecks on the cheek were as far as you’d gotten, which was fine for her too. Everything thus far had felt really natural, and you both knew when you were ready to move on to more, it would be on your terms together. She was so patient and wonderful, and you really felt like you were dating your best friend.

“She thinks the world of you, you know,” Bucky said, turning his head back. You pressed your face against his shoulder and giggled. He shifted you in his arms, causing you to shriek and cling tighter.

“How have you been?” you asked, changing the subject.

“Good,” Bucky nodded. “The owner of the bookstore is talking about retiring in the next year or two. I’ve been thinking about asking him to let me take over.”

“Really? Bucky that would be awesome!”

“It would,” Bucky agreed. “But I’d need some business classes. My English degree only gets me so far.”

“If anyone can do it, it’s you,” you said, confidently.

“Thanks, kid.”

You finally reached your destination after Tony insisted on rummaging through a promising trash pile on the side of the road. He walked away with two circuit boards and some fried spark plugs he insisted he could fix.

You hopped off Bucky’s back and walked inside the grocery store. You could only imagine what your rag tag group of friends must have looked like to the lone cashier sitting idly at his register. His eyes widened at the number of people in his store, but you held up your hand reassuringly.

“Don’t worry,” you said, “we’re just here for some chips.”

Clint and Thor dashed down the center aisle as the rest of you waited up front. They returned a few moments later, each carrying three bags of chips in their arms. They dumped them on the conveyer belt, and the cashier got busy scanning them.

“That’ll be $15.90,” he said, sleepily.

“Pay the man, Thor, and let’s get out of here,” Clint said, slapping his friend on the back.

Thor looked between Clint and the chips sheepishly.

“Well, you see…” he began.

“Thor,” Tony called, “you did bring money, right?”

“Um, well...no,” Thor admitted. He looked at each of you hopefully. “Can one of you spot me, and I shall pay you back the instant we return home?”

“Don’t look at me,” Clint said. “You owe me, remember?”

“I used the last bit of my cash to refill my Metrocard,” Bruce replied.

“Why would I bring money for chips I’m not buying?” Steve asked.

“It’s 1:30am,” Sam answered, “you’re lucky I’m wearing pants at all.”

“I got nothing,” Bucky replied.

“I was carried here against my will. Sort of, anyway,” you said, unhelpfully.

“Do you guys take circuit boards?” Tony asked the now pale cashier.

“Do I seriously have to do everything around here?” Nat groaned. She stomped over to the register and pulled out a twenty dollar bill from under her nightshirt. The cashier stared at the money, then back at Nat as she waved it in his face. He gingerly took the bill and rang up the order in a daze.

“Where does she put this stuff?” Clint whispered to Thor as Nat walked back to the front of the store. “I mean, is she even wearing a bra?”

“I think it is better if we do not ask,” Thor murmured back.

The cashier handed the bags to Thor and breathed a sigh of relief as you all left the store.

“Okay, you’ve got your stupid chips,” you yawned as everyone made their way back home. “Happy now?”

“They’re not stupid, Y/N, they’re THE chips,” Steve insisted.

“Blah, blah, blah,” you retorted.

Now that all of the adrenaline had worn off, you were thoroughly exhausted. Dragging your sorry butt home for two blocks was going to suck. Thankfully, Steve took pity on you and lifted you up in his arms, bridal style. Sometimes it really helped having older, taller, muscular friends.  

“Love you guys,” you sighed, nuzzling into Steve’s embrace. “Even if you are crazy.”

Steve chuckled, and you could feel it reverberate through his chest.

“Love you too, kiddo.”


End file.
